


Burgundy Lace and Retribution

by Redlionfish



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-30 22:51:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8552581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redlionfish/pseuds/Redlionfish
Summary: Liz has to go undercover to bring down a sex slave ring kidnapping young women from a modeling agency. Red faces this challenge with her, intent on keeping her safe.





	1. Sign me up, Cooper

Liz

Agent Elizabeth Keen looked hopelessly up at the large screens mounted to the wall of the post office black site. Four young women, all beautiful, all dead, lined up on those screens. The sounds of activity around her as agents went about their business. Sometimes it was hard to remember that it was more than just her team that worked here. There were people here she barely knew. It was a strange feeling after everything they had done. She sat in the desk chair, her elbow propped on Aram's workstation, her hand supporting her head. Her brain was overworked, following every thread she could find to no avail. She had no leads and it was destroying her confidence in herself as an agent. It would be their fault if any more women died...  
She hadn’t heard from Reddington in over a week, he had alerted them to the dead women, but had not actually given them the name of their Blacklister. They were stuck waiting for more information while trying to scramble at any lead they could come up with on their own. There was literally no communication from Red or Dembe, which to be honest was not all that unusual. She felt kind of ignored by him recently but with a twinge of guilt recalled all the times she told him to leave her alone, that she didn't want him in her life. Stop calling. Though, she was irritated that he would give them this case then disappear. He wasn't answering her calls, and every time her phone rang she looked quickly, anticipating the Nick's Pizza ID to be there, glowing on the little screen. She stared at that screen now, black and reflective, seeing her own face, complete with a scowl. How many other girls were going to go missing before he would show up for work?  
There was a part of her mind that was slightly worried that something may have happened to Red. It's not like anyone would call her to let her know. If something happened to Red, something probably happened to Dembe. It's not like Mr. Kaplan would give her the courtesy of a call. She barely existed in the woman's mind. To be fair, it wouldn’t have been the first time she had worried about his safety and she was hoping it wouldn’t be the last.   
She chided herself for even caring about him, throwing the phone down on the table in frustration. He was a criminal. An extremely dangerous man who had done things she could not even imagine for reasons that were completely alien to her...and this was his life. His normal, every day life. He didn't have the same problems as normal people. While she worried about feeding her dog, he was most likely worried about a bullet in the skull.   
She didn't like to admit to herself that she felt protective of Red and not a little jealous when she was forced to meet one of his female 'associates' with whom he had clearly been intimate. Jealous when he was protective of someone else. It was kind of a sick thing to feel, and she knew it.   
She also did not like to face the fact that she looked at Red quite a bit, and clearly liked what she saw if the rush of excitement to her belly was any indication. In reality though, she could probably look at many of the men in this room the same way. It had...been a while. Tom was in the wind, and her bed had been empty and cold. She wasn't sure if lonely was the word, but...she had needs and those needs were not being met, resulting in a frustration that she hadn't felt in a long time.  
She glanced around at the men around her. Ressler was nice looking, if not exactly like an FBI Ken doll. That didn't do much for her. He was a sweet, dedicated man but he was too much the boy scout for her. Aram. She took a moment to look at him without the feelings of friendship clouding her vision. He was tall, thin, his face wasn't too bad...oh hell, she couldn't do this. He was a good looking guy, but she needed more mystery in her men. Obviously. She rolled her eyes, recalling just how stupid she could be. The thoughts of Tom making her heart break. With a little internal groan, she admitted that Red had something no one else had. A confidence and gravity that she most definitely admired. She glanced back up at the women on the screen and any fantasizing she had been doing was over as quickly as it had started. These women were worth more of her time than she was spending lusting after Raymond Reddington.   
There was a hint of nausea in her throat every time she looked at them. Women cut down in their primes. Their freedom and dignity stolen first and then their lives. Lives filled with happiness, a future, the possibility of success.  
There was always a fairly long stretch of time between their abduction and the discovery of their bodies. Liz made herself think about what could be happening in those weeks or months between. Something horrible was being done to them. They had all been raped, beaten, cut...broken. Not just once, but multiple times over a long period before being discarded like so much refuse.  
The anger in her flared as she turned toward the opening elevator doors to see the familiar form of Dembe, followed closely by Raymond. He removed his hat, choosing to leave those brown sunglasses in place. The psychology training she had told her it was a barrier, a shield. Something to hide behind...though Raymond Reddington would never admit to such a thing. She smirked and walked toward him.  
"Nice of you to join us..." she began, before noticing the tired defeated look on his face.   
"Yes, Elizabeth...I've been away. I'm sorry I didn't phone and let you know I'd be absent from school." He tilted his head, giving her an extremely unamused smile.

"Reddington." Cooper's voice drifted down the stairs and Liz turned to see him coming down to greet them. His face was set and stern, not a friendly greeting. All business. "Have you got anything new for us?". He came to a stop a few paces away, his hands resting in the pockets of his slacks. He emanated the air of authority and confidence that held the place together. She couldn't imagine doing this job under any other supervisor. 

"Hello, Harold. Wonderful to see you." He said a bit too loudly, as he turned toward the large television screens.   
"I have a development, but I'm afraid it isn't a good one." he pursed his lips. He bit the inside of his cheek gently. She knew that was what he did when he was mulling over the best way to break bad news. Then again, he did it when he was nervous or surprised and she imagined other scenarios where he might employ that little tic.

"Despite my...best efforts," he grumbled, "yet another young lady has been taken. A miss Amanda Abbott, 19 years old. College student."

She bit back the snide comment when she realized the defeat in his face was due to his failure to find this woman. He had tried to save her. It made her heart hurt for a moment. She made her face neutral again before speaking.

"Why didn't you contact us for assistance? What is the point in giving us---"

"Because, Agent Keen, the FBI has a bad habit of announcing their presence loudly before marching a parade of painfully obvious undercover agents into an extremely sensitive situation. If we have any chance of finding this young woman alive and finding the head of this organization, we will have to be very...very careful." he cut her off. His voice had raised slightly, his eyes darkening for a split second. No one else seemed to notice his anger but she did. She knew his face as well as anyone did. She knew his self loathing didn't help him deal with this defeat.

"Fine." she tried to not sound defensive, "What now, then?"

He visibly deflated as he let out a sigh, "I have a lead on where these girls are disappearing from. The only problem is once these people are spooked they will be in the wind and the girls they are holding with them. The representatives that seem to be the face of this group are Mr. Gerard Ames and the photographer, Mr. Elias Moore. These men are definitely horrible human beings but our blacklister is the mysterious head of the company, Ms. Samantha Desmond. She has been buying and selling young women, young men...children...for years. The woman has no remorse over her actions. " He was chewing on his cheek again. "They seem to be picking their girls from a modeling agency and selling them into a sex slavery ring."

She nodded. It made sense. The modeling agency would have plenty of access and time to look over the merchandise and arrange a kidnapping. "Where is this place?" she glanced at him. 

"Desmond and Ames Modeling Agency in Chicago. Still unsure of who in the agency is taking them or if it is the entire organization." Red's voice was tinged with disgust. "They had been in New York previously, until two of my...former associates decided to go above and beyond and break into the building instead of watching. They haven't been seen since and the Agency moved immediately to Chicago."

"So how do we get someone in?" Cooper asked, his brow furrowing before glancing to his left as Samar and Aram came into the room. Aram smiled and waved nervously at Red, who rolled his eyes slightly before looking at Harold. 

"We can't send agents in. We can't just burst in, guns blazing, Harold. These people are smart, and experienced at hiding their...business. Someone will have to infiltrate, under the guise of a client or..."

"Model." Liz nodded. Red shook his head. 

"No. We will find another way."

"Can you honestly think of another way to get in that close to the operation?" she cocked her head at him. Silence. Red glowered at her, turning to Cooper. "I would not advise this course of action. The danger here is a little out of your league. Whichever young lady goes in has a very real chance of abduction or death."

Cooper stared at the floor, his brain working. "It's our best option, Reddington. Get started on the logistics. Aram, I want eyes and ears that can be hidden easily. Ressler, you are going with. I want you to scout the area surrounding the building. I want all escape routes and threats assessed ahead of time. We are not going in there blind." he turned to Samar and Liz, concern creasing his brow. "You two are the only agents I have that would be suitable for the task."  
There was a moment of awkward silence before Samar sighed a little, "I am fairly confident I would be turned away. My body isn't as....flawless as it used to be." she looked around nervously. Leave it to Red to step in. He smiled at her, "The best bodies I have ever seen are flawed, Samar. You could be covered in pox and I would still do horrible things for a chance to see it." he grinned.  
A very small smile curved over her mouth before she looked away. "I will go with Ressler. Two sets of eyes are better than one and if anything happens I'd like to have as many resources as we can manage on site."  
Cooper nodded then looked at Liz. "Well..."

"No, Lizzy..." Red growled, shaking his head. She swallowed as that gravelly voice produced in her a jolt that she was ashamed to admit to.

"Red, you aren't my mother. I am a special agent in the FBI, I am trained for situations like this. You can't stop me." She countered, defiantly. She swallowed a little as his eyes narrowed at her.

Red nodded slightly, his eyes lowered. "For your information, Elizabeth, I could definitely stop you. You wouldn't like it. However, if you insist on doing this then I am going with you and before you try to deny me, just remember that I will be there with or without your blessing so you may as well make use of my resources."  
Sometimes she hated when he was right. "Okay...tell me what I'm walking into then. What kind of clothing do these people model?" She instantly felt nervous when Red smiled slightly, raising his eyebrows innocently. "Lingerie!" his smile turning into a grin. She gulped, forcing the nervousness down, she tried to remain calm and collected. She was sure as hell not going to give Red the pleasure of one-upping her.

"Fine. Let's do it."

She couldn't help but notice despite the smile on his face, the muscle in his left cheek jumped slightly and his eyes had grown dark. No, Raymond Reddington certainly did not like this idea.


	2. Getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar....

Within a couple of days she was on Red's private jet, sitting next to Dembe as he leafed through a People magazine. She furrowed her brow as she studied him. He seemed genuinely interested in whatever he was looking at. Red sat just across the aisle from her, staring out the window. He was well dressed as usual. He wore expensive looking tan slacks, a crisp white dress shirt covered by a snug fitting tweed vest. His hat and brown sunglasses sat on a small table near him with his empty scotch glass.   
She took advantage of his distraction to observe him. She felt a familiar pulse of warmth in her belly as she ran her eyes up those legs, to the lean but solid figure of Raymond Reddington. Her eyes moved up his chest, coming to rest on his face. She jumped as she realized he was looking right at her. She quickly looked away, her face burning.   
She heard him snort a little, chuckle as he turned back to the window. Thankfully Dembe was none the wiser. He was glued to an article about some celebrity scandal, scoffing and shaking his head.   
"Shall we go over our stories?" she suggested awkwardly. After a painful silence Raymond turned in his seat and folded his hands in his lap. 

"You are Katherine McAllister, you are a new model with a well connected agent who got you this chance to begin your career. You are a little older than they would like, but thankfully you look younger than you are."

Her eyes widened and she felt herself blush in embarrassment. She stared at him in disbelief. She wasn't that old and she was in great shape! Her logical brain started to break through and fill in the blanks. The more she thought about it, the more she realized he was right. Bastard. Most models started before they were even legal to drink. She hated the grin he had plastered on his face. He knew exactly what he had done and he was relishing his win. He continued on. "I am Edward Hobbes. Your well connected agent, working tirelessly to get your career started." He had a mock pained pitiful look on his face, a hand up on his heart, shaking his head. Liz rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt.

"Okay so what leads do we have on Amanda Abbott?" she grumbled, looking down at the folder in her hands. A young blonde woman stared back at her, smiling brightly. Someone's daughter, sister, friend. So young. 

"She went in for her audition on Wednesday of last week, had a successful interview with the talent scout and photographer. Signed a contract that evening and came home to celebrate with her fiance, one Brian Flannery. I am one hundred percent certain that boy had nothing to do with it. So incredibly dense. Friday she went in for her first fitting and test photos and never came home." He sighed.

"Did her fiance go to the police?" Liz asked.

"Yes, but upon a search of the grounds, everything was in order. Police could find nothing out of place, which is not really surprising." he rolled his eyes. "Chicago Police are so crooked, they probably didn't even make a show of going into the damn building. So it sits as a missing persons case that WILL go cold, and filed away under assumed dead."

Liz shook her head, dismissing the comment about the Chicago PD. Red was always distrustful of law enforcement. "So...when is my audition?" she asked nervously. She felt Red's eyes on her, a moment too long before he answered. "Lizzie...you don't have to do this, you know. You are putting yourself in incredible danger." he shook his head, his blue-green eyes intense and concerned and boring into hers. He really did care about her, that much she was sure of. What she wasn't sure of yet is why.

"I'm doing this, Red. You can't protect me from everything. This is my job and I am definitely qualified. Are you worried I wont be convincing enough?" She teased. She knew the effect that would have on him. She was aware he was probably looking forward to the lingerie modeling. He uncrossed and crossed his legs, tapping his fingers on the leather seat. 

"Elizabeth I have no doubt you will be...outstandingly convincing." he cleared his throat. "Your audition is tomorrow at 6:00 PM. I will be there with you, but I am sure they will only allow that if you insist. I will do what I can but I am not going to do anything to give us away and endanger your life or the life of those women." He said, his face grave.  
She nodded, the first seeds of worry growing in her gut. She would never let Red in on that. She was fully capable of completing this task, and she would be sure to show him just how good she was at her job.


	3. Sweet Dreams

Red had booked them a suite in an expensive high rise penthouse. It had it's own living room, sizable kitchen and a modest dining room. Three bedrooms starred out from the living room in different directions. The windows were large and covered in sheer white curtains. There were suitcases waiting for them when they entered the room. One of Red's contacts surely had been there before them. 

"So...how does this...audition go?" she asked. "Do I dress for an interview?" she joked nervously as she moved through the apartment.

With a small smile he turned and followed her into her bedroom, "According to their instructions you are to wear something...easy to remove..." and he motioned to a small dark red box on the bed, "...over whatever it is that they sent to you." 

She swallowed and went to the box, untying the black ribbon that wrapped around it. She lifted the lid off and moved the tissue paper aside and froze. Her eyes wide, she looked up at Red. He looked perplexed and moved over to the bed and looked down into the box. "Oh my..." he practically groaned.

If she wasn't slightly panicked already, that sound would have shot straight to her core. She really had to reassess her needs on dating. Maybe she needed to find someone to...keep her company. She reached into the box and lifted out a dark burgundy corset, matching lace bra and panties. She stared at it momentarily and looked up to Red, almost pleading. "Wha---"

He threw his hands up in defense, "I warned you, Lizzie. You insisted, and now it's too late to back out." He looked more than a little pleased with himself.  
She dropped the items back into the box then reached down and lifted her bag onto the bed. She looked up at Red, "I should...probably get some sleep. It's late." she said lamely. He stared at her a moment, smiled and turned on his heel, "Good night, Elizabeth.". He pulled the double doors closed behind him.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Red

He heard the doors click shut behind him and he let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. This was all more challenging than he imagined it would be. Why in the hell did it have to be lingerie? It was like the universe just loved to torture him. Working with her was already challenging enough for his focus. Glimpses of her collar bone as she bent over, a flash of her smooth thigh under her skirt as she crossed her legs. He felt like a pervert sometimes. He couldn't help himself sometimes, he couldn't pull his eyes away easily.  
He walked slowly across the living room and to the small bar in the corner. He poured himself a glass of scotch that the hotel staff had placed in the room at his request. He pulled a simple looking hard bound book out of his bag as he walked by the table and settled himself into an overstuffed chair. He ran his eyes over the cover. The collected poems of Pablo Neruda. There had been a page he could not seem to bring himself to turn. Red liked to examine why things made him feel the way they did, and this just made him sad and he couldn't quite pin point why. He had read through this book a hundred times, and this poem in particular was torturing him this time around. He whispered it quietly as he read it once more, "I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul..."  
He stared at it a moment his eyes not really seeing the words anymore, then closed the book. He was being dramatic again. He hated being dramatic. When his heart ached and he let out the tide that was his emotions, he turned into a brooding poet. He picked up his glass, drained it and set it down on the table and scrubbed his hands over his face, sighing deeply. Tomorrow would be hard for him, and for her. It would be undoubtedly dangerous and he should have been resting but sleep would not visit him for hours yet.  
Who was he kidding? He hadn't had a decent night sleep in years. He took a deep cleansing breath and opened his book once more, forcing himself to move onto the next page. 

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Liz

She could hear him moving around out there, rustling around. She heard the clink of a bottle. The man could certainly put away some scotch. She switched the lights off and slipped her clothes off. She hadn't brought any pajamas so she had to settle for her underwear and a white undershirt she had stolen out of one of the bags. It was soft and smelled clean and fresh. She never would have borrowed clothes from one of them but it was that or sleep naked which she certainly wouldn't do that sharing a suite with Raymond Reddington. She pulled it over her head and climbed into bed.

She couldn't argue that she had imagined many different interactions that they may have before, but they had all been purely fantasy. She seemed to be having a lot of those lately. She slipped under the sheets, feeling the cool cotton on her legs. It felt nice. She stretched a bit and closed her eyes. For a few moments, there was silence. The darkness surrounding her, she could feel her body relaxing, her mind starting to drift. Then she heard footsteps. Red was always the restless type. The soft footsteps stopped then started to move toward her door. That's odd. Was he checking on her? She sat up as Red knocked lightly before opening the door. 

The light behind him created a lean silhouette. "Red, what's---" she stopped short as he closed the door behind him and moved toward her. She seemed frozen in place, her voice dead in her throat as he sat down on the bed next to her. She could make out his features in the faint moonlight playing through her window.   
He said nothing, simply looked up at her with those dark eyes, seeming so predatory. She felt his slightly rough calloused hand come to rest on her naked knee. Her breath quickened, and all she could do was watch him. His hand slowly started moving up her thigh, "I see you are wearing my shirt, Elizabeth..." he murmured, his voice reverberating in her chest. She was panting lightly. His hand moved up and lifted her shirt, his other hand bracing himself on the headboard above her now. She felt herself slide down into the sheets, his hand moving with her. 

He had an intoxicating smug grin on his face as he leaned down to her face. She could smell him, the slight smell of cigars, scotch and something woodsy. Something unique to Red. She felt his finger hook over the waistband of her panties and his lips were barely brushing hers. Even his breath was delicious, masculine.

 

Awake. She shot up in bed. She was alone and it was morning. She blinked quickly and looked around. A dream... "Jesus Christ..." she muttered. She put her face in her hands and slowed her breathing. She looked at the clock. 7 am. They had some recon to do before this evening's activities.  
With a groan she swung her legs over the side of the bed and changed quickly into a pair of jeans and a tight black t-shirt. Throwing her hair up into a pony tail she padded bare foot into the bathroom off her room, brushed her teeth and washed her face before moving out into the living room. Her heart stopped for a moment as she saw Red out on the covered balcony, hands resting on the railing, staring out into the cool Chicago sky.   
His black slacks hugged his form perfectly, the light blue shirt opened slightly at the neck, his vest and jacket thrown over one of the chairs in the living room. She admired him for a moment before she moved into the kitchen. She heard the front door open followed by the unmistakable form of Dembe. He carried a cardboard drink carrier with three cups wedged into it. Coffee cups. "God bless this man..." she whispered as she moved around into the living room to greet him.   
"Good morning, Elizabeth." He smiled sweetly and handed her a cup. She looked at the writing on the outside. Her name in black grease pencil and...exactly how she like her coffee. She paused, looked up at him, decided against asking and moved away taking the first delicious sip. "Thank you, Dembe. I needed this." He grinned and walked past her and knocked on the balcony door. Red ignored him for a moment, then turned, recognized Dembe and opened the door, allowing a chill breeze to flow into the room. Dembe handed him his cup of coffee, and Red took it, patted Dembe's shoulder and moved toward her. He smiled, "Good morning, Lizzie..." his eyes seemed to devour her in the simple black t shirt and snug jeans. He rarely ever saw her like this, she realized. 

"Good morning..." she was slightly flushed, the memory of her dream still fresh in her mind and the feel of his hands still fresh on her skin. He grabbed his vest off the chair as he moved past her, setting his cup down on the counter. He gracefully slid into the vest, buttoning it slowly while he started to speak, "We have a lot of work to do. The blocks around the agency are heavily populated. The chance for collateral damage is high if something goes wrong and there is a fire fight. Ressler and Navabi are going to find the best escape routes based on the exits shown on the blueprints of the agency.", he slipped his sunglasses up onto his face.

"So...what are we supposed to do? We have several hours until my appointment." she implored. He turned to her and smiled, "Well, to look the part, you are going to need a style and dye. Your natural beauty is preferable, sweetheart but these people are only interested in a certain kind of beauty. The false kind."

She groaned, made a disappointed face but finally nodded, "Alright. Let's do this."


	4. Between shadow and the soul...

She felt so naked in these clothes, keenly aware of the burgundy lingerie underneath her black dress. Her strappy heels were uncomfortable but sexy. Her hair had been trimmed, layered and highlighted. She had applied subtle make up with the exception of the winged eyeliner that seemed to bring out her eyes.

She had her arm looped through Red's as they approached the agency. He had donned a black classy suit, patent leather shoes, and a pair of dark blue tinted glasses. As they neared the door, his arm slipped away from hers and she felt the pressure of his hand on her lower back as he opened the door for her. 

They stepped into a foyer that was professional, yet classic. There was a single large desk in the center of the room. An attractive young red head manned the desk and smiled politely as they walked in.

"Good evening, do you have an appointment?" 

Liz took on the air of haughtiness and turned away, looking bored. Red moved to the desk, speaking low, sounding nervous, "Yes, hello dear, this is Katherine McAllister and I am her agent, Edward Hobbes. We have a 6:00 appointment." He smiled sweetly at her she the girl nearly swooned as she giggled and nodded. Liz rolled her eyes and turned toward the desk. Somehow, even in his mid fifties, Red still had it with the ladies.

"I will let Mr. Moore and Mr. Ames know you have arrived." she smiled and moved out from behind the desk and into the large double doors behind. 

Red's hand slipped around her waist and he leaned in close, "Lizzie, if you aren't comfortable with this, this is your last chance, sweetheart." he whispered.

"I'm fine, Raymond..." she answered quietly. 

Within a few moments, the young red head beckoned them back and they followed closely into a long hall way which emptied into a large round room. There were several cameras, lights and backdrops set up. Around the room were several changing rooms and offices. Her heart was racing, and only Red's hand on her was keeping her steady. 

A large Nordic looking man exited one of the offices and moved toward them, he must have been almost seven feet tall, blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail. He wore a charming smile on his face and his hand extended toward Liz as she came close to him. He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles, "Ahh, Ms. McAllister, more beautiful in person, I see. I am Gerard Ames.", he grinned.

She smiled shyly, "You flatterer..." she giggled. Red tensed beside her. He didn't care for this charade one bit, she could tell.

"Well, let's get started, shall we?" He motioned with one arm to the far side of the room where there was a small platform with a light grey backdrop. A large complicated camera set up in front of it, and a few lights surrounding it. Her fingers were cold and her heart was racing. It was all turning real in her head now and she was going to have to pull this off. The man turned to Red, "If you'd excuse us, this is a one on one audition." 

He hated the man already. Red looked quickly to Liz who spun around, casually putting a hand on Red's arm, "He stays with me. Anything we do or say can be done or said in front of him..." she grinned wickedly and strutted toward the platform. 

Red gulped, sighed and moved after Ames, taking in their surroundings. One of the doors to their left opened and a small wiry looking man stepped out, he had dirty looking black hair, and a goatee that should have been trimmed a long time ago. He was hurrying toward the camera. Gerard motioned to a seat to the side of the platform and Red silently accepted, lowering himself into the leather chair. 

"Katherine, this is Elias Moore, my partner and photographer." he smiled and vaguely motioned at the smaller man setting up and adjusting the camera. Liz smiled at the man and wiggled her fingers, "Hi there...what about the other name in your agency...Desmond?" she twirled her finger in her hair, smiling sweetly. 

"Ms. Desmond is more of the administrative side of our company, she rarely ever steps onto the floor." he shrugged. She noted that.

______________________________________________________________________________   
Red

Liz waved daintily at the photographer, and spoke in a low sultry voice, "Hi there..."  
He flinched, her tone of voice and the way she was dressed not doing him any favors. He crossed his legs and rested his folded hands on his knee. 

"Okay, so Katherine. The contract you are auditioning for is a lingerie company. I take it you received the package we sent to your agent?" she nodded, smiling sweetly. The man grinned at Liz in a predatory, sleazy way. It made his skin crawl. He would have loved to break that man's neck right then for so much as dragging his eyes over her. It wasn't going to get easier as this went on, so he reigned it in and pursed his lips.

"So, we will just need you to go into one of the changing rooms if you'd like and remove your dress. There are robes in there if you want to wear one out, then we will---" his words were cut off as Liz untied the knots at her shoulders and dropped the dress into a pool at her feet. Red stopped breathing, his eyes wide. He quickly put his jacket in his lap, to hide the evidence of his arousal at seeing Liz in the burgundy lacy lingerie. Her milky skin contrasted beautifully against the dark red lace. He could tell she was struggling to keep up her confidence. He got the feeling not many people ever told her how beautiful she was. 

"Okay then! Ha!", Gerard clapped his hands. "Let's get started..."

______________________________________________________________________________

Liz

The 'audition' went on for about twenty minutes. They had her do simple sexy poses, the camera flashes were making her slightly nauseous. She couldn't bring herself to meet Red's eyes, though she was aware of his gaze on her. His eyes dark, and his fists clenched into the cloth of his jacket. Was he angry with her? She had no idea what she could have done to upset him at this point. She was following her instructions perfectly, with the exception of a few on the spot decisions. 

Gerard signaled for the photographer to stop and he stood. "That was beautiful, dear. So...sensual..." the man practically groaned. It made her stomach turn. She stood and pulled her black dress up around her shoulders and fastened it. "Thank you! I really appreciate the opportunity..." she smiled.

"Okay, so let's go ahead and make an appointment for tomorrow at say...4:00? We can start with some basic shots, get you sized and fitted to some of the...outfits...", he grinned. She nodded enthusiastically, "That sounds fantastic...say is there a restroom I could use?" she asked innocently. Gerard looked over at the photographer and then back at Liz, "Of course my dear. Just through the door and down the hallway. Last door on the right."

She smiled up at Ames and sauntered off through the door. As soon as the door closed behind her she straightened. She quietly moved down the hall, peaking into the rooms around her. There was a large steel door at the very end of the hall. There were no signs or windows to indicate it's purpose. She tried the handle, but it was locked securely. She noted a scramble card reader next to the door. They must have access cards that got them deeper into the agency. She spent a few moments snooping around a bit before returning to the audition room. 

Ames and Reddington were waiting for her. They seemed to be having a very friendly conversation, though she could tell from Red's posture and body language that in any other situation, this man would be a corpse. "Are you ready, my dear?" Red smiled at her and offered his arm. She slipped her arm through his and they made their way through the dark hallways and out of the building. Ames walked them out, wishing them a wonderful evening, playing the gentleman so well...all the while she could feel his eyes on her body.

They exited the building, walking at a casual pace down the busy Chicago street. She clutched almost too hard to Red's arm. If she was hurting him he didn't show any signs. Out of te corner of her eye she saw Ressler and Navabi fall in behind them, holding hands and laughing, doing their best to blend in. They turned the corner and Dembe pulled the large black SUV up beside them. Red nodded to Ressler and Samar who continued walking, taking a different route to a pick up car. Red followed Lizzie into the back seat and soon they were gliding along the streets of Chicago, speeding back to the relative safety of the hotel.


	5. Safe and Sound

Red

They entered the hotel room in silence, the tension palpable. What could he say to her to comfort her? He couldn't take away the feel of their eyes on her, treating her like a piece of meat. He couldn't take away the dirty feeling she would get every time she pictured their faces and he couldn't take away the fact that he, himself had seen her like this, and she knew it. It didn't matter how much she said she was fine, he could see in the way she averted her eyes and fiddled too much with her dress, she was violated and shaken. He had sat there, watching her flaunt her body for the pleasure of these men, and he had hated it. Hated their eyes on her, hated their minds imagining the small amount of flesh that was covered. 

He had also never seen anything so gorgeous in his life and he hated himself for thinking of her that way. Liz's body was glorious, and it made his particular situation worse. He had underestimated what seeing her nearly naked would do to him. He stripped off his jacket and threw it over a chair. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her move to her bedroom. Her head was bowed and her hands trembled. He should never have let her do this. The guilt tearing at him from the inside. He started to unbutton his vest when he saw her shoulders shake. Silently sobbing at the doorway to her bedroom. 

He covered the distance between them in a few long strides, she turned as he approached and they came together, Red cradling her in his arms, gently stroking her hair while she cried into his chest. He wrapped his arms tight around her, burying his face in her neck, "Shhh sweetheart, I know...I know..." he whispered.

Her body was racked with sobs, and he suspected not all of this rush of emotion was from that night alone. She had been bottling up her sadness for so long that the dam had broken at the first hint of weakness. He hated to see her like this, his eyes rimmed in tears, he did the only thing he could and held her together while she shattered. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he reached down and lifted behind her knees, cradling her against his chest as he carried her into her bedroom. He turned on the soft lamp next to her bed and laid her gently on the comforter. She looked exhausted, and emotionally drained. "Im so sorry, Red...I thought I could handle it." she sobbed. He ran his hand through her hair gently, then reached down and carefully took her shoes off. 

Moving his hands up, he untied her dress and when she flinched he comforted her, "It's alright, Lizzie...just getting you ready for sleep...". He felt her relax and he pulled the dress down around her. He looked around, his eyes falling on a tshirt on the bed...it was his undershirt. His heart broke a little and he didn't really know why. He pulled the sheet up around her, letting her hold it in place as he carefully undid the bra and corset by feel. Red ignored the fact that his fingers were brushing her bare skin with no small amount of effort.

A few awkward moments later, he slipped his shirt over her head, covering her once more. He would not be the reason she cried. He could not survive that shame. She stared up at him from her pillow, her eyes slowly drifting shut. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, smoothing the hair out of her face before he got up, turned out the lamp and closed the door as he left the room.

The living room was terribly silent. The kind of silence that is oppressive and tangible. He collapsed into one of the couches, staring into the space in front of him, but he didn't see anything. His eyes blurred and stung.  
Red swiped at the tears that threatened to roll down his face. He lay back into the couch, and closed his eyes for a moment.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

Liz

 

That was how she found him in the morning after she had gotten out of the shower. He was still dressed in his now crumpled black suit, his tie slightly loosened at his neck. His head was cradled half on his own shoulder and half on the couch. He really was lovely. She had changed into a pair of shorts and a tshirt, her damp hair hanging loose. She didn't care if Red saw her this way, he saw her in a worse state the night before.

Liz lowered herself onto the couch next to him, the small movement enough to wake him. His eyes slowly opened and it took him a few drowsy moments to focus on her face. "Good morning, sweetheart..." he grumbled, his voice gravelly from sleep.

"Morning, Red..." she almost whispered. She was embarrassed about the night before, and didn't really know how to apologize to him. She was a special agent, she should have been able to handle this job...and she had convinced him she could. He didn't seem mad at her, he just seemed sad. She closed her eyes a moment, drawing a deep breath. She heard the shuffle of his clothes and felt his warm hand on hers. 

Liz opened her eyes and smiled gently at him and he returned it. His thumb was making circles on the palm of her hand, and it was having a strange effect on her. She was aware it was highly inappropriate, but she really didn't want him to stop. Her arousal began to coil up in her stomach, heat rushing to her core. 

When she looked into his eyes, she felt like he knew. Like he could read her so easily. He had scooted closer to her, the outside of their thighs pressed together, and his hand began to rub up and down her arm, so softly. There were no words they could say at this moment. What would they say? He leaned in a bit, and so did she. So close she could almost close her mouth on his. Then he stopped, froze. He slowly recoiled and settled back against the couch, rubbing a hand over his eyes, "I'm so sorry sweetheart...I must be really tired, I didn't mean to..."

The pain that passed through her was almost physical. They had been so near and then he had taken it away in a split second. "No..." she whispered, shaking her head. "You don't get to deny me, Raymond Reddington. Not after all this time. You think I don't see the way you look at me. You think I don't catch you sneaking a look every time you can." her voice was stern, yet sultry, "You think I didn't know a part of you enjoyed what you saw last night?" She saw his breath catch, his pupils were blown wide with desire. She was terrified he would reject her. He was so silent. 

She slowly unwound her legs from the couch and slid closer. She lifted herself slightly and slid into his lap, resting her weight on him, her bare legs gliding along the soft material of his pants. She tentatively let her arms snake up around his shoulders, then to his neck. His skin felt just as she thought it would. Hot, almost feverish. She had noticed how warm he was every time they were near each other. He radiated heat and intensity.

He looked downright terrified. His breath coming fast, his face flushed. He still hadn't touched her and she was losing her nerve. He didn't want her. Oh god... She had misjudged everything she thought she had seen... "Red, I'm so sorry..." she started to push up off his shoulders when she felt his grip like iron on her hips. 

In an instant he pulled her down hard into his lap, capturing her mouth with his. His lips were soft yet demanding. Her mouth working against his, her tongue swiping at his mouth, demanding entrance. With a deep growl he pushed his hips up into her, grinding his arousal against her core. She let out a low groan, her head falling back away from his lips. He wasted no time in latching onto the sensitive skin under her ear, swirling his tongue there, and nibbling on her ear lobe. 

Dear lord, she could have gone over the edge right then she was so tightly coiled. He pushed his erection up against her once more, a hiss escaping his lips. "Lizzie..." he moaned, almost a warning. "We can stop this now...we can..." he panted at her. The last thing she wanted was this to stop. She slid off his lap and quickly took off her shirt and shorts, leaving herself only in a pair of white cotton panties and a nearly see through bra. 

"Oh god..." he groaned as she got back into his lap. He was still fully clothed and it was surreal. The woman he had wanted for so long was practically naked, grinding against his crotch and he was in an evening suit! 

As if she heard his thoughts she was pulling desperately at his tie and half buttoned vest, seeking skin and not finding it. She gave a frustrated growl that shot straight to his throbbing erection. She finally got rid of his tie, and with a sigh of agitation, grabbed both sides of his shirt and ripped it open, sending the buttons flying in all directions. He was shocked, and extremely turned on. Her hands immediately were on his chest, feeling her way up to his collarbone, admiring the light spattering of golden blonde hair as she went. He had the body of a fifty something year old man, but he didn't seem to have any extra fat on him. He was simply solid and she loved it. 

She was sitting heavily on his lap, kissing up his jaw, the stubble feeling amazing on her soft skin. He was nearly bucking up into her. "Please...Lizzie..." he sounded like he was in pain. She hadn't noticed his hands grasping her ass until she got up to let him take his pants off. As soon as his pants fell she pushed her hand against the bulge in his boxer briefs. He rutted against her hand, "Lizzie, be careful. I can be an awfully possessive person..." he growled into her ear, his hand travelling down to the front of her panties. "So wet, Lizzie." he moaned. She yanked down his underwear quickly, and shoved her's down as well, stepping out of them as fast as she could.

With her hands to his chest, she shoved him back on the couch and climb onto him. "I need you right now...right....right now..." she reached between them and lined him up desperately just in time for his strong warm hands to grab her hips and ram up into her. The scream she let out was primal and animal like. He yelled out as soon as he was enveloped in her wetness. "Oh dear lord..." he moaned and he seated himself in her. It only took her a moment to start moving, adjusting to his size. She immediately started to lift up and fall back onto him, hard. She needed this, needed this release and he was the only one who could give this to her the way she wanted. He gritted his teeth, trying to fend off his own climax. Feeling her squeezing and tightening around him made it so much harder. 

She started chanting his name in whispers, her breath coming in short raspy gasps and then suddenly she was screaming, coming around him. He couldn't hold out any longer, "Lizzie, I'm not going to last, darling..." She didn't seem to care, she was slowing her movements to an agonizing crawl, milking him for everything he had. When his climax came it was a slow surge over into the most intense orgasm he had ever felt. 

She slumped against his chest, hearing his heart beating like a drum. He held her for a long time before she looked up into his face. He almost seemed worried, but happy. She searched his face, "Red, what's wrong?" He shook his head, smiling down at her.

"A topic for another time. Right now, nothing is wrong." he whispered, staring into her beautiful blue eyes. She let out a long contented sigh and sat up in his lap. He shrugged out of the remains of his shirt then fell back into the couch, memorizing her face and her beautiful body on top of his. Never had he imagined this would actually happen...

"Seriously, Red, what's wrong? Talk to me..." she was stern now. He stared up at her, worrying the inside of his cheek with his teeth, trying to find a way to phrase what he wanted to say.

"I...I don't want to just be a convenience for you, Lizzie..." he began, she tilted her head in confusion, "I can be very possessive and that most certainly applies to you...I can't be just a once in a while dalliance." he sounded pained. Then it dawned on her. He thought she was just wanting sex, and not caring where she got it. 

"Raymond..." she whispered his name, and he inhaled a deep breath. 

"I love when you call me that..." he murmured. "...even though you are usually angry with me when you do." he chuckled.

"Raymond..." she continued, "...you are not a convenience, or a dalliance, or whatever you want to call it. I've felt strongly about you for a while, and I hadn't really realized until last night just what I wanted...and that is you." she finished nervously.

He simply stared at her for a moment, processing what she was saying. His hand came up to cup her cheek. "I love you, Elizabeth." he whispered, tears rimming his eyes.


	6. Here we go....

Liz

The count down to her next appointment at Desmond and Ames was in under two hours. Her heart was racing and she barely heard Ressler and Navabi talking to her. They had been over it a hundred times. They decided they couldn't use any eyes or ears. They didn't know what she was going to have to do and if she were discovered as a federal agent, chances are she would be killed immediately and the girls they were holding would be lost.

All she could do was stare straight forward, trying to slow her breathing. She closed her eyes and went over the plan again. She would complete the appointment, try to gain the trust of some of the employees, maybe sneak around a little before obtaining a key card to the mysterious metal door she had discovered the day before. That was the only place they could be holding the girls...the blueprints could be trusted since the company hadn't had this building constructed, it was pre-existing and they had repurposed it. 

The more they found out about the situation, the more the plan was changing and she didn't like it. She would be going in unarmed, unable to communicate with her team. She would truly be on her own if something went wrong and she was seperated from Red. She looked around, searching. Where was he anyway? Her heart ached for him. She had decided she wasn't going to make their new intimacy known to anyone. It would complicate things and possibly endanger them both. 

She stood, excusing herself from Ressler and Navabi's room that was seconding as a command center and made her way down the hall to the elevator. She punched the button to go up to the penthouse and waited for the elevator to arrive. The soft hum stopped as the doors opened. Stepping inside, she used her hotel room key to access the penthouse. It seemed to take a long time to arrive, but when it did she kicked off her shoes in the entry and padded down the hall to the living room. 

She turned the corner from the living room and found Red standing at the kitchen counter. He had a partially empty bottle of scotch and an empty glass sitting on the counter in front of him. His hands were braced on the countertop and his head was bowed, creating sharp lines of his shoulder blades and back. She quietly padded up behind, noting the lovely color of pale yellow in his shirt and the tan slacks he wore. He always seemed so put together while she was lucky if she could manage to have clean clothes to wear every day. 

She reached out and ran her hand gently up his arm, coming around to stand beside him. "Hey..." she smiled softly. 

"Lizzie..." his voice was low and he looked over at her, a sad smile playing on his lips.

"What's wrong?" her brow furrowed in concern.

"Ive been a fool, sweetheart. The danger I am putting you in is unacceptable..." he began.

With a smile, she cut him off, "Red, I told you I can do this. We have already gotten this far, I want to finish this job."

He blinked quickly at her, biting the inside of his cheek. 

"I didnt mean the job, Lizzie." he whispered, before looking down at the counter again. Her heart sank. She took a step back, and his eyes squeezed shut.

"I need you to say it, Red. I need you to tell me you don't want me." her voice broke, but she held on to the anger she was feeling.

"It's never been that I didn't want you, Lizzie. I've wanted you for so so long. It's that if anyone knew of our relationship...it would affect your career, your relationships...and we would become each others' weakness in the eyes of our enemies." he was speaking softly, looking her straight in the eye. She knew he was telling the truth, or what he sincerely believed to be the truth. The tears that rimmed her eyes threatened to fall over and down her face. She should have seen this coming, she was naive.   
The problem was he was right about her career, he was right about her relationships. Her only friends were tied firmly to the task force. She pursed her lips, "We've always been each others' weakness, Red..." He didn't answer her, but turned and took her hand in his. 

"I am sorry for the timing of this conversation, we can talk about this another time. After the operation is done." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed over her palm. Her eyes fluttered closed and she bit her lip. Watching him do anything was intoxicating, but watching him kiss any part of her was so much worse. Suddenly he let her hand fall back to her side and she felt the loss of his touch acutely. "Time to get ready, Lizzie..." he grumbled. He turned and went into his room to change.

She ran a hand through her hair and did the same. She slammed the door shut a little too hard, and let out a long breath, and then set to the task of making herself attractive to the repulsive men of Desmond and Ames. 

______________________________________________________________________________

Red

A little over an hour later they were walking once more into the building of Desmond and Ames. The same redhead motioned them back to the door without checking them in. She smiled sweetly at him. Red found himself wondering if she would be taken eventually also. The thought made him sad, but he snapped his attention back to the situation as Mr. Ames appeared from his office, smiling. Red's blood started to boil. 

"We have you set up in a private room, just down the hall here. Mr. Moore is already in the studio preparing the camera. In the room, the fitting attendant will measure you and we will get you in front of that lens." He was leaning in close to Liz's face, speaking softly, intimately. Red could feel his fingernails digging into his palms and his teeth grinding together. Liz was overdoing the flirty model act, probably for his benefit. She was angry with him, and he couldn't blame her. He had been the one ensuring that she loved him, that he wasn't one to be thrown away when she was done with him, and for all she knew that was what he was doing to her.

Ames was holding Liz's elbow, guiding her down the hallway, Red following behind. His emotions were getting the best of him, and shutting them down was not proving an easy task. They came into what looked like a waiting room, with one door. 

"Here we are Liz. Head on in when you are ready. Sarah will get you fitted and then lead you back to the studio and we will get started.", he smiled at her, ran his hand down her arm. He turned to Red and motioned to the chairs in the waiting room, "You are welcome to wait, Mr...." he looked at Red, searching his memory.  
"Hobbes..." Red whispered, venom in his voice.

"Hobbes...right." the guy grinned at him and walked off down the hall they had just come down.

Red sat down in the closest chair facing the door. There was a horrible tinny classical music playing just a touch too loud overhead. He tuned it out, staring at the door. He had no idea what they were going to do. This operation had disintegrated into them improvising as they went and his anxiety about it all was rising rapidly.

Ten minutes...twenty minutes...thirty minutes.  
What the hell could be taking so long? Suddenly his stomach hit rock bottom. He jumped up and went for the door. Locked. He took a step back and kicked the door open, sending wood splinters flying. As he stepped into the room, he saw the small fitting room pedestal, the measuring tape, but no 'Sarah' and absolutely no Liz. How had he not heard anything??

"The music...oh god..." he growled. He began tearing the room apart. He tore up the rug on the ground, looking for some kind of secret passage. Some way they got her out of this room without him knowing. In a moment of clarity he looked up at the mirror, almost not recognizing the crazed face that stared back at him. He stood and grabbed the side of the ceiling height mirror and pulled as hard as he could. It was on a hinge, and creaked open, revealing a roughly cut passageway. 

He reached under his suit coat and behind to his holster, pulling out his weapon. Bringing it up to eye level he moved into the passage way. "I'm coming, Lizzie...." he murmured.


	7. I'll come for you

Liz

She stirred, her eyelids heavy, nausea in her stomach. She was laying on her side on a hard surface. She struggled to keep her eyes open. She was in some kind of metal container, it was littered with dirt and leaves, puddles of cold water. She pushed herself up onto her hands and knees and realized she was shackled. Her wrists and ankles had large metal rings locked around them, attached to huge iron chains. Panic was setting in. What had happened?

She remembered walking down the hallway with Ames, the fitting room. Red waiting outside. She had stepped in and was greeted by an older blonde woman. She was instructed to stand on the pedestal...the images flashed through her mind. Suddenly there had been an arm around her chest and a sharp sting in her neck, burning. She had been drugged.

"Oh god..." she whispered. She tried to look around into the darkness, the container was rather large. A shipping container maybe? That's when she heard the crying. A soft weeping from the other side of the container. Carefully she turned, "Hey...hey are you okay?" she whispered softly.

"Who..who are you?" it was a young woman's voice. 

"My name is Elizabeth....who are you?" she tried to keep her voice calm and even but her hands were trembling and she was freezing. 

"Amanda..."

"Amanda...Abbott?" she implored, her heart beating faster. She had at least found the girl, and she was alive. "How do you know my name??" she sounded worried now. 

"Don't worry Amanda....I am a special agent with the FBI, we came to find you...what can you tell us..." she was interrupted by a low laughter echoing through the container. Amanda shrieked and Liz heard her retreat to the wall. 

"Well...isn't that just a nice surprise?" He stepped into the light. Mr. Moore. Her heart sunk.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

Red

The hall was dark and narrow, seemingly going on forever. He struggled to keep his breath even, staying vigilant. All his mind was focused on was Elizabeth. What were they doing to her? He bit the inside of his mouth, hard.  
Stay alert. Keep it together.

He came around a corner fast and was met with a shipping dock. Empty. The sound of a truck driving away. Red ran forward and jumped off the dock, the shock hurting his ankles, running out into the street, his gun raised. It had started raining. He squinted hard, watching the semi disappearing around the corner. Starboard Atlantic Shipping, container number...he squinted, E-8998.

"I'm coming Lizzie...hang on." he whispered.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

Liz

The container rumbled, the sound of an engine. She was confused, then realization washed over her. They were in a truck. "Oh no...", she squeezed her eyes shut. Her mind racing in all directions. There was nothing to do but wait.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

She couldn't keep track of how long they'd been in the container. An hour? Two hours? She was shaking with the cold, and her body was sore from laying on the uneven metal container. 

She heard the air brakes squeal and the truck start to slow. Wherever they were going, they had arrived. It wasn't too much longer before the back doors opened, blinding her temporarily. She heard the shackles being opened and rough hands grabbed her arms. She was dragged outside. It was just turning dark. A few hours lost then. They were at some kind of warehouse. It looked remote, surrounded by fields on all sides, she could see a highway in the distance. Interstate?

Liz desperately tried to memorize everything she saw before they entered into the darkened interior. Ice pulsed into her stomach. Half the warehouse was filled with cages. About 6 feet tall, iron bars... no no no...

The other half of the warehouse was offices and...processing. She felt sick at her stomach. She was dragged far into the warehouse, and unceremoniously thrown into a seemingly random cage. She jumped up and lunged at the door as it was slammed shut and locked. The man laughed a little and walked back toward the entrance, just as Mr. Moore emerged from one of the aisles. 

"Well, Elizabeth Keen. Special Agent to the FBI. Just what are we going to do with you?" he grinned, sauntering toward her. She stared up at him defiantly, spitting in his direction.

"Go to hell, asshole." she growled. Moore didn't react. 

"I like it when they have fight in them...it makes breaking them so much more fun. You, Elizabeth, are going to be so...much...fun." His eyes raked down her body, and she flinched. 

She didn't have a witty response. She sunk to the ground, her dress torn and wet around her, the warehouse was cold. She shut her eyes, curled into herself, and tried to imagine the warmth of Red's body, his little arrogant smile, that thing he did with his tongue when he was nervous. She smiled a little before passing out again.

______________________________________________________________________________

Red

"Aram, what do you have for me?" Red was short with everyone at the moment, and Aram stammered his answer out, eager to not disappoint Reddington. Red liked to imagine it was because Aram liked him, but he knew that Aram, just like everyone else, was terrified of him.

Everyone but Liz... his heart hurt. 

"Okay um Starboard Atlantic E-8998 departed a textile factory at 6:05 pm according to the transit records, bound west to a distribution center mid county about 300 miles down the interstate. There's no telling if these are falsified records. I assume they are. Obviously that truck didn't leave a textile factory..."

"Yes but it did leave around 6pm. Aram...not a word of this to anyone. So help me god if I even smell FBI within a hundred miles of that warehouse..." Red was shaking his head, his voice a venomous growl. 

"Understood, Mr. Reddington..." Aram squeaked as Red slammed the phone shut. 

Red relayed the message and Dembe nodded, starting the car. "


	8. I have a reputation....

Liz

She awoke to the door of her cage swinging open, and hands grabbing her, dragging her out. She struggled and kicked, and was met with a fist across her jaw. The men dragged her in silence through the warehouse, past many cages, both empty and occupied. The air was filled with the sobbing and screaming of women. 

They took her into what looked like an office, except unlike most offices, there were rusted iron shackles on the wall. She steeled herself, retreating deep into her mind. If this is how she was going to die, then so be it. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of begging.

The men locked the shackles around her wrists and left her alone in the office. She pulled the chain as much as she could, but it kept her shoulders at a painful angle. Looking around, she couldnt see anything that could be used to help her escape. It was an eerily empty room. 

Suddenly the door opened and Liz snapped her head up. Ames and Moore. Grinning lecherously at her. "What do you want?" she managed, shivering.

"Well, we are going to see what it is you have to offer our clients, then you will be sold to the highest bidder overseas... for whatever purpose they come up with. I really don't care. Can't have the FBI finding you here in the states, though." Ames stated, sounding resigned. 

Moore took his jacket off and threw it over the chair, turning to her. "Lets get started..." he advanced on her. Ames pulled on the chains, making them taut and yanking her hands up above her. 

Moore didn't waste any time messing around. He grabbed the shoulders of her dress and ripped them open. She struggled and fought as he tore her dress into pieces, leaving her in her underwear and bra. Liz cried, trying to retreat against the wall. "What do you want from me?" she yelled at Moore, but he didnt seem to care what she was asking. He picked up a camera he had brought in with him and started snapping pictures of her, huddled in the corner of the room, wrists bleeding from the shackles. 

He set the camera down on the cheap plywood desk and came to crouch in front of her, tilting his head to the side. He reached out and his clammy hands ran over her side and down to her bottom. He palmed her ass and squeezed, laughing at her tears. They spent several minutes doing what they wanted with her, though she soon realized they wouldn't rape her. No, they would save that for whichever client paid the highest price. They would be content to fondle and degrade her while taking pictures for their bidders. At some point, she shut her mind down and just lay there, tears streaming down her face. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore their hands and laughter. The sound of the camera, the flash. 

She retreated to a deep quiet place in her mind. Nothing could disturb her here. She fought deeper and deeper until silence. Absolute silence. The kind that is almost a sound in itself.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

An hour had past but in Liz's mind it was an eternity. She could hear the men pacing and talking as she started to surface from the dark that she had put herself into. They weren't touching her anymore at least, but she heard Moore talking about her. The bids were already coming in. It wouldn't be long now...she wished they would have killed her. Ames noticed she was awake and came to stand over her. 

"It's really a shame. You are very beautiful, and...pure. A rare find. I have half a mind to keep you for myself, darling." He adjusted his crotch and laughed low. "I need a replacement for the last bitch tha----"

 

In an explosion of splinters the door flew open. Liz covered her head and squeezed into the corner. Gun shots rang out in the room, she could hear Moore screaming. She looked up to see the most welcome sight she had ever seen. Red and Dembe. Dembe had shot Moore and was holding Ames at gunpoint. She could hear gunfire and shouts out in the main warehouse. 

Red hadn't looked at her yet, his face laced with hatred and his eyes were black with anger. Baz came into the room, nodded at Dembe and came around Red, pushing Ames down in the squeaky office chair. It looks moments to secure him with zipties and Baz stepped back into the corner, standing by.

Red slowly took off his hat and sunglasses, laying them down carefully on the desk. Then came his overcoat. He was still wearing the outfit he had been in when she was taken and he wasn't nearly as put together as he usually was. Without taking his eyes from Ames, he walked over to Baz and held out his hand. "May I borrow your knife, my friend?" he muttered lowly. Baz grinned and complied, pushing the utility knife into Red's hand. 

Red, looking thoughtful broke his stare and looked down at the knife in his hand. He strolled over to where Ames was struggling against his bonds, stealing a glance at Moore who was just about done bleeding out all over the gray utilitarian carpet. When he looked back up at Ames, something in his face caused Ames to stop moving immediately.

"Normally...this would be the part where I make my demands of you, implore you to talk, etcetera.." he turned the knife over in his hands, admiring the edge. "...but this isn't a normal situation, is it Gerard?" he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Ames didn't dare speak, too busy sweating through his clothes. Red continued, unfazed by his lack of response."Do you know who I am, Gerard?" He looked up into Ames' face and tilted his head.   
Ames shook his head quickly, "No...."

"My name is Raymond Reddington. I have a reputation you see, top of the FBI most wanted list, concierge of crime, yada yada yada..." he growled, "I am not a good man, Gerard..."

Understanding was blossoming on Ames' face. He knew that name. Everyone in any sort of illegal business knew that name.

"I am not a completely evil man..." he continued as he advanced on Ames until he was standing right in front of his. Less than a foot away, he bent to stand eye to eye with him. 

"There is a part of my reputation that goes undisputed..." he ran the knife over Gerard's face, watching the man flinch away from him in terror. 

"Please! I had no idea she was yours. I had no way of knowing. Please Reddington! I fucked up, okay!?" he pleaded. 

Red's eye twitched and his lip turned up in a little snarl. "The undisputed fact is...that my retribution comes swiftly, Gerard, and with great finality..." he whispered as he slowly drew the knife across Gerard's throat, watching the flow of crimson spill down over his clothes, hearing him choking on his own blood. 

Red watched him, standing close to him until he died. Then he stood, handed Baz back his knife, and turned, seeming to snap out of his rage when he saw Elizabeth. He moved quickly, nearing skidding to a stop on his knees in front of her, gathering her up in his arms and holding her to his chest, "Lizzy...oh sweetheart, are you hurt?" he murmured to her, running his hand over her hair gently. She shook her head, leaning into him. Her wrists were bleeding from the shackles that still held her.

Dembe had fished the keys out of Moore's pocket and made quick work of the lock, freeing her finally. Liz stared up into Red's face, seeing the worry and the love written across his features. "We are getting you out of here, sweetheart." Dembe handed Raymond his jacket, and he turned back to her and wrapped her in his long wool coat. Dembe came around and lifted Liz up into his arms as Red turned to Baz who had found the camera. Baz handed it over and walked out to stand in the doorway, his face grave. 

She watched in horror as Red flipped through the pictures of her abuse. She never wanted him to see that. To see her that way. His eyes closed and he turned toward the door. "Baz...call the FBI, tell them the girls are here...then slaughter anyone who worked for these monsters. Desmond is lost to us, but I'll take that loss." he growled.

Baz nodded and pulled out a phone, speaking quickly. Red took Liz out of Dembe's arms and whispered in her ear, "We are leaving sweetheart. I'm so sorry...." and kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry..."

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Red

He took Liz to a small house on the coast of Italy. Remote and surrounded by beauty. She would spend a lot of her time down on the beach, running her feet through the sand and he would spend his time watching her, and waiting until she was ready to talk to him. He always made the same mistake, thinking he could protect her from harm, but keeping her at arms length because being with her would be dangerous for her.  
That was a mistake he wouldn't make again. He could keep their relationship secret if she wanted, in order to remain in the FBI, but he would love her with everything he was. Heaven was laying in the warm sand with Elizabeth Keen, her hands on him, her lips on his, and not a care in the world.

 

End


End file.
